ReUsies™ in the News!

Find out what the buzz is all about!

"...Every time Becky Harper packed her kids’ lunches, she cringed as she imagined used plastic baggies clogging a landfill. So in 2009 she designed a line of reusable bags to cut down on costs - to the environment and her wallet. Harper’s cotton ReUsies (based in West Seattle) are hand sewn and lined with leak-resistant nylon. Plus they can be wiped clean with a soapy sponge. . .

SEATTLE -- Feb 1, 2013 -- ReUsies, a Seattle-based small business that creates eco-friendly, nontoxic and fun sandwich and snack bags, is developing a customized gift bag for each attendee of WestSide Baby’s Benefit Tea to be held Sunday, February 10, 2013. ReUsies’ custom bags will serve as gift bags that will hold all the swag from other WestSide Baby Benefit Tea’s sponsors. ReUsies will also offer an ongoing donation opportunity to its web customers.

Back to School Bargains: 8 'GMA' Exclusive Deals

ABC News, August 16, 2011

"...Back to school season is second only to the holidays for consumer spending, so you might very well be concerned about the costs of sending your little one off on the bus with a backpack full of must-have items.

Have no fear.

"Good Morning America" workplace contributor Tory Johnson appeared on "Good Morning America" this morning with eight exclusive deals for "GMA" viewers that will help you save big on the extras that add up.

ReUsies Makes the AKA (Ashley Koff Approved) List!

Whether it's a product, menu, recipe, or gadget, the AKA stamp confirms that it has been evaluated and approved by [Ashley Koff], as a better quality and healthy choice. More specifically, it means that the product does not contain any nutrition "no, no's," (artificial stuff, too much of something, not enough of another..), its marketing message is truthful and it fits into a nutrition plan for optimal health.

ReUsies startup story

More February, 2011

Two years ago, Karen Whorton was using about a dozen plastic sandwich bags a day. "I was packing lunches for my two kids and husband," says Whorton, at the time a stay-at-home mom in Seattle. "It bothered me that the bags weren't recyclable." So she talked to her friend Becky Harper, a nurse's assistant who knew how to sew. The two headed to a fabric store, where they each spent $100 on clearance remnants ("Some of them were really ugly!" Whorton says). The result: ReUsies, cloth bags lined with leak-resistant nylon. Not only are they reusable, but you can even toss them in the washing machine when they get soiled.

Whorton and Harper sold their first ReUsies to friends who agreed to give feedback. With those comments in mind, they experimented until they produced the ideal bags: with Velcro on the front and back, ReUsies could be tightened to the size of the snack inside...

15 Fun, Easy Ways to Wrap Gift Cards

Fox Business December 15, 2010

"Amp up the "wow" factor when giving gift cards this holiday season. All it takes it a little creativity -- and a personal touch... ...Fold your gift card up in a Reusie, a reusable alternative to sandwich bags which is also the perfect size for a gift card, and your recipient will have a colorful way to "brown bag" it at work or school."

Stocking Stuffer Ideas for Seattle Kids

Red Tricycle [Seattle] December, 2010

Pretty Packaging "For a fun, eco-friendly way to wrap up some goodies, why not stock up on ReUsies snack & sandwich bags? These reusable fabric bags (they come in multiple patterns and colors) are perfect for storing little stocking surprises like action figures, play jewelry, felt food, lip gloss, or Christmas candies. Be sure to save them for your snack/lunch box needs!"

We Made it Work: We Found a Solution to Lunchtime Pollution

All You August 27, 2010

"..Around back-to-school time in 2008, we did the math on a number of plastic bags we used to pack lunch and snacks - up to 12 a day for each family! That's when the idea struck: Wouldn't it take about two seconds to make a reusable sandwich bag?

We dusted off Becky's sewing machine and got to work. It actually took about a onth to create the first ReUie - not two seconds. A lot of thought went into the materials, how to fold and close the bag so food stays in place and how to clean it..."

Green My Lunchbox - Back to School Time

Red Tricycle [San Francisco]

If you’re looking for durable alternatives to Ziploc bags, look no further than the cloth-lined leak-resistant Seattle-based ReUsies for your sandwiches and snacks. Just pack the sandwich/snacks, close it with Velcro and send it to school...

High-Tech/Lunch Time

Curious Parents

Make lunch boxes waste-free. ReUsies™ is an alternative to plastic sandwich and snack bags. These 100% cotton lined, water-resistant nylon bags are secured with durable Velcro closures that make them easy to open, yet hard for food to fall out of...

The Secret to Green Lunches Gallery: Recycle & Reuse

Working Mother

Pack sandwiches in bags that can be used again and again, like these ReUsies, an alternative to plastic sandwich and snack bags. This cute Brown Bird sandwich holder is 100% cotton lined. The water-resistant nylon bags are secured with Velcro closures that make them easy to open, yet hard for food to fall out of. They come in both snack and sandwich sizes...

Back-to-School Survival Guide

Gadgets: virtual Vuvuzela and more!

9News, Colorado June 25, 2010

"Say goodbye to plastic bags..." ReUsies are a recyclable, plastic-free alternative to sandwich and snack bags. They feature cheerful patterns, Velcro-adjustable closures, easy-to-clean inner linings and are made in the USA..

Green Website Focuses on Eco-Friendly Products

Paper or plastic? Seattle moms invent answer

Evening Magazine/King5 Television April 22, 2010

Many of us have changed our habits over the years to help the environment. We use travel mugs and cloth bags instead of disposable alternatives on a regular basis. Now, two Seattle mothers think they have created a permanent alternative to all those plastic baggies that end up in the trash after just one morning in a lunch bag.

Becky and Karen have now sold around 26,000 ReUsies. They're available at Bartell's, Metropolitan Markets, or you can bag a couple online at http://www.reusies.com/.

A Green Christmas

Woman's Day Magazine December, 2009

[REPRINTED] "When my son, Jack, said he felt bad tossing out plastic sandwich and snack bags from his lunchbag after just on euse, I was glad to find an alternative: ReUsies (reusies.com). They're made of cotton lined with leak-resistant nylon, have Velcro closures and come in lots of cool patterns."

Rocket Lunch

Ideal Bite, August 10, 2009

"Starting the back-to-school countdown? Ready your kiddies' lunch for takeoff with ReUsies, a reusable alt to endless purchases of disposable plastic baggies. Created by two Seattle moms, these dishwasher-safe, cotton sandwich- and snack-size bags come in about two dozen colorful designs for each size. They're Velcro sealed and lined with water-resistant nylon (no sketchy chems like BPA, lead, or phthalates found in some vinyl and plastics) - good for apple slices and even messier stuff like PB&Js. Small step for you, giant leap for Mama Earth. ..."

School Ties / Bag of Tricks

Daily Candy, August 10, 2009

"If you had a nickel for every plastic sandwich bag you’ve sent packing, you’d be Bill Gates. This fall do your part for the environment (and save some dough while you’re at it) with Seattle-based ReUsies reusable lunch bags ..."

We're thrilled to be featured in the July-August Issue of Just Cause Magazine!

[REPRINTED] "Little plastic bags have become as much a part of our culture as refrigerators. While we're still fans of refrigerators, the plastic bag thing is a bit of a bummer. Especially since, a lot of times, we toss them even though there was nothing wet or messy in them. If you're packing snacks or lunches on a regular basis, you really ought to be packing them in ReUsies. These incredibly cute and efficient reusable "bags" were the brainchild of some Seattle moms, and we love them. They come in two sizes, lots of colors and can be used over and over again — and yes, you can wash them if they get peanut buter or tuna or anything else in them."

Get Green & Local With ReUsies!

Seattle Moms Deal Finder, June 9, 2009

Two Seattle moms were sick of throwing out so many plastic baggies everyday, and tried to figure out a new way of packing their kids lunches without all the garbage. Then ReUsies were born! These plastic-free, reuseable alternatives to plastic bags are absolutely adorable and come in many different prints. Made of 100% cotton lined with leak-proof nylon (BPA, phthalate & lead free). From skulls to cupcakes, you'll be sure to find the right style for your child...

ReUsies on TV

West Seattle Blog, May 27, 2009

You may have heard about ReUsies, cloth sandwich bags invented by West Seattle moms, now making a splash nationwide. KING5 has a story about them today - and the story notes that ReUsies are selling so well, they’ve “hired a manufacturer in Tukwila to help them keep up with demand.”

Raves: Stuff we love in May

Parent Map, May 1, 2009

Greenius! If you’ve ever heard my baggie tirade, you know how happy I was to come across these pretty little bags. Made by two Seattle moms who are similarly sick of plastic bags, waste and pollution, ReUsies are sturdy, nylon-lined cotton envelopes with Velcro enclosures. Pack ‘em with sandwiches, chips — whatever! — then just toss ‘em in the wash and reuse them. $6.50–$8.50.

Two West Seattle women launch reusable bag product

West Seattle Herald, April 20, 2009

Two West Seattle women have joined together, with the help of many friends to launch a unique product with a decidedly "green" bent.

Called "ReUsies," the reusable cloth bags for snacks and sandwiches are the brainchild and product of Becky Harper and Karen Whorton. So far they have sold more than 700 of them and now have their Web site set up and are on the verge of choosing a manufacturer.

Up to now they've all been made by hand by Harper in her basement using a sewing machine and serger.

"I approached Becky because she knows how to sew," said Whorton.

Both women came up with parts of the design and evolved the concept over a three month period...

Get Used to It

Red Tricycle, May 12, 2009

"You recycle, reuse, and even remember to take your own bags to the grocery store.

But before you pen that acceptance speech for Greenest Parent of the Year, don’t forget about the nasty habit you have every day when you fill the kids’ lunchboxes. You know, when you tuck the sammie and baby carrots into those evil little plastic sandwich bags that are a pollutant to our environment. Sure, you tell the kids to bring them home to use again, but it never happens..."